Roberto  Clemente  Printable  Reading  Comprehension                                                            Name_____________________  
 

 
 
Roberto  Clemente  Walker  was  born  on  August  18,  1934,  in  Barrio  San  Antón,  Carolina,  Puerto  Rico.  
He  was  the  youngest  of  seven  children.  His  father  was  a  foreman  who  oversaw  sugarcane  cutters  
and  helped  deliver  sand  and  gravel  for  a  construction  company.  His  mother  did  laundry,  ran  a  grocery  
store,  and  did  other  jobs  on  the  sugarcane  plantation.  Roberto  did  odd  jobs  so  he  could  help  the  
family  and  buy  himself  a  bicycle.  Growing  up,  Roberto  played  baseball  and  participated  in  track  and  
field.  He  won  medals  for  the  javelin  throw  and  short  distance  races.  Throwing  the  javelin  strengthened  
his  arm  for  throwing  a  baseball.  

At  age  18,  Roberto  joined  a  Puerto  Rican  professional  baseball  team,  the  Cangrejeros  de  Santurce,  
where  he  played  with  Willie  Mays  in  1954.  That  year,  Santurce  won  the  Caribbean  World  Series.  
Roberto  was  signed  by  the  Brooklyn  Dodgers  in  1954.  He  played  on  a  minor  league  team  for  a  
season  before  being  chosen  in  the  draft  by  the  Pittsburgh  Pirates.  Roberto  quickly  made  a  major  
impact  in  both  the  Pirates  and  Major  League  Baseball.  He  played  outfield  with  the  Pirates  from  1955  
to  1972.  He  was  selected  for  the  National  League  All-­Star  team  15  times,  won  12  Gold  Glove  Awards,  
and  won  four  National  League  batting  titles.  He  was  the  National  League  Most  Valuable  Player  in  
1966  and  the  World  Series  Most  Valuable  Player  in  1971.  His  career  batting  average  was  .317  with  
3,000  hits,  240  home  runs,  and  1,305  RBIs.  

Roberto  was  known  for  his  humanitarian  efforts.  He  helped  people  in  need  across  the  United  States  
and  Central  America  and  held  free  baseball  clinics  for  children  in  Puerto  Rico.  In  1972,  an  earthquake  
struck  Managua,  the  capital  of  Nicaragua.  Roberto  had  managed  a  Puerto  Rican  all-­star  team  in  
Managua,  and  he  had  friends  there.  He  became  the  honorary  chairman  of  an  earthquake  relief  
committee  that  raised  $150,000  and  gathered  nearly  26  tons  of  relief  supplies.  Tragically,  on  New  
Year’s  Eve,  he  died  when  the  plane  he  was  on  to  deliver  the  supplies  crashed  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  
 
Normally,  a  player  cannot  be  inducted  into  the  Baseball  Hall-­of-­Fame  until  at  least  five  years  after  he  
stopped  playing.  An  exception  was  made  for  Roberto,  and  he  was  inducted  in  1973.  He  was  the  first  
Hispanic  player  to  be  inducted  to  the  Hall-­of-­Fame.  After  his  death,  Major  League  Baseball  
established  the  Roberto  Clemente  Award  recognizing  the  player  who  combines  outstanding  skills  on  
the  field  with  devoted  work  in  the  community.  Broadcaster  Tim  McCarver  called  Roberto,  “the  
greatest  right  fielder  of  all  time,”  because  of  his  precise  and  powerful  throwing  arm.  Roberto  once  
said,  “If  you  have  a  chance  to  accomplish  something  that  will  make  things  better  for  people  coming  
behind  you,  and  you  don’t  do  that,  you  are  wasting  your  time  on  this  earth.”  Roberto  also  said,  “I  want  
to  be  remembered  as  a  ballplayer  who  gave  all  he  had  to  give.”  
  
1.   What  is  the  main  focus  of  the  first  paragraph?    
A.  Roberto’s  childhood  
B.  Roberto’s  parents  
C.  Roberto’s  skill  in  throwing  a  javelin  
D.  How  Roberto  earned  money  
 
2.   Which  can  be  inferred  from  the  second  paragraph?    
A.  Roberto  Clemente  was  the  greatest  baseball  player  in  history  
B.  The  Pirates  won  the  World  Series  in  1971  
C.  Roberto  had  the  highest  career  batting  average  of  any  Pittsburgh  Pirate  
D.  Roberto  Clemente  should  have  played  for  the  Brooklyn  Dodgers  
 
3.   The  third  paragraph  states  that  Roberto  was  known  for  his  humanitarian  
efforts.  Which  of  the  following  would  qualify  as  such  an  effort?          
A.  Signing  autographs  for  fans  
B.  Helping  to  deliver  food  to  victims  of  a  hurricane    
C.  Donating  your  old  bike  to  charity  
D.  Painting  a  picture  for  a  friend    
 
4.   Which  of  the  following  is  the  best  explanation  for  why  Roberto  Clemente  
was  inducted  into  the  Professional  Baseball  Hall-­of-­Fame  in  1973?              
A.  He  was  a  great  player  who  won  a  World  Series  with  the  Pittsburgh  Pirates  and  
who  won  the  National  League’s  Most  Valuable  Player  award  
B.  He  was  an  all-­star  15  times  
C.  He  would  have  been  a  Hall-­of-­Fame  player  when  he  was  eligible,  but  his  
career  and  life  were  cut  short  tragically    
D.  He  was  a  humanitarian  who  spent  a  lot  of  time  helping  people  less  fortunate  
 
5.   Which  is  NOT  true  about  Roberto  Clemente  
A.  He  was  born  in  Puerto  Rico  
B.  He  died  while  trying  to  deliver  supplies  to  people  in  Puerto  Rico  
C.  His  career  ended  with  exactly  3,000  hits.    
D.  He  died  on  New  Year’s  eve  
 
6.   Which  of  the  following  is  closest  in  meaning  to  the  following  quote?  
 
“If  you  have  a  chance  to  accomplish  something  that  will  make  things  better  for  people  coming  behind  
you,  and  you  don’t  do  that,  you  are  wasting  your  time  on  this  earth.”  
 
A.  Use  your  time  wisely  
B.  Make  a  positive  impact  on  the  world  
C.  Help  to  save  the  earth  
D.  Only  play  baseball  if  you  help  people      
  
 
 
7.   If  the  entire  passage  was  limited  to  the  second  paragraph,  which  of  the  
following  could  be  its  title?      
A.  The  history  of  the  Pittsburgh  Pirates  
B.  The  Tragic  Story  of  Roberto  Clemente  
C.  The  Amazing  Baseball  Career  of  Roberto  Clemente  
D.  Roberto  Clemente  at  the  1971  World  Series